>>58245665
>Flames drooled from its mouth and sizzled on the ground.
>Punching a dog, even if it looked like it came from hell, did not sit entirely well with you.
>It wasn’t some insect, it had an aura of sapience and intelligence.
>It can be calmed down.
>It could be…
>It could be ended now.
>If you pressed forward.
>Strike while it thought you cowered.
>The lucario saw it as the beast it was.
>The lucario wanted to strangle it.
>Wise as it may have been, you compromised.
>A chance to end this peacefully was there.
>Slim, but there.
“Calm. It. Down.” You demanded.
>The wannabe-thug, rubbing his shoulder, cussed you out.
>Irrational and angry, his voice rose louder.
>Houndoom mirrored his master.
>It had enough.
>With flames licking the corners of its mouth, it pounced.
>It leapt just as you cracked the leash, giving you little time to respond.
>Smart.
>Or dumb luck.
>You couldn’t assume the latter.
>On instinct, you moved closer rather than leaping away.
>You brought your arm beneath its jaw, pressing against the neck.
>There was just enough leverage to keep the huge dog’s jaws at bay.
>Ebony claws swiped at your chest, batting your iron spike.
>It stung, but the manilla-colored chest fur kept any damage to a minimum.
>With the houndoom balancing on its too hind legs, you pushed forward, hoping to knock it on its back.
>Tying the chain around it would end this quickly.
>The houndoom was already a step ahead.
>The canine leapt forward, coughing smog and liquid bile into your face.
>Decay and sulfur struck your oversensitive nose and burned your eyes.
>Shoving the animal aside, you stumbled away from the haze.
>Opening your bloodshot eyes fiercely stung.
>Good thing you didn’t need them.
>With your eyes closed, the pokémon thought you were blinded.
>Dare circled you, yapping and barking at the while.
>You didn’t need aura to tell where it was.
>Winding the chain up, wrapping it around your paw, you prepared.